Cancer Crusaders
Club
12th Annual Christmas Get-Together
December 5, 1999
Message
Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson
Greetings!
Before anything else, I like to say welcome and thank you for attending the 12th Annual Get-Together of the Cancer Crusaders Club.
I like to specially thank Ruby Aboitiz and her daughter, Marissa, for the certificates; vice-Mayor Rio Diaz Cojuangco for the very inspirational talk; Nenette Mercene and other cancer crusaders for helping Abet organize the group and prepare this hall; and to our friends who provided entertainments and give-aways; and of course, to all of you, who made this occasion possible and memorable.
I like to emphasize that this get-together is for you and without you, this annual gathering would not be possible and it will not last up to 12 years.
I have three important messages today.
For the first message, I like to call on 3 persons to help me deliver the message. I will ask these 3 persons very simple questions and their straightforward answers I hope will contain my first message.
1st Person: Ms. Judy Ang is a first timer. She is a Breast Cancer Crusader.
Questions:
After witnessing and experiencing the activities that transpired this morning, can you share with us your thoughts and feelings on the purpose of this gathering?
Answer: It is nice and very good.
(She expressed the same sentiments as those of Ms. Donato in her opening remarks.
Question:Did you regret coming?
Answer: NO.
Question: Do we expect to see you again next year?
Answer: YES
2nd Person: Mr. Bert Muyot is a relative (husband) and guardian of Mrs. Evelina Muyot, who is a Breast Cancer Crusader. Mr. Muyot has attended the annual get-together together with his wife for 6 times.
Question:
Can you share with us your thoughts and feelings on the purpose of this gathering from the point of view of a guardian or relative of a person with cancer?
Answer: He enumerated all the benefits of the club.
3rd Person: Mr. Jack Diaz is an old timer. He is a Colon Cancer Crusader. He has attended the annual get-together for 7 times, almost every year after the discovery of his cancer.
Question:
Can you share with us your thoughts and feelings on the purpose of this gathering?
Answer: He enumerated all the benefits of the club and why he gave priority to the get-together in case there is a conflict. Just like today, he has a high school reunion. He decided to sacrifice the reunion just to be able to attend the get-together of the Cancer Crusaders Club.
The first message that I have intended to impart to you is the purpose or objective of the cancer crusaders club. In one sentence, the main purpose of the cancer crusaders club is a group psychotherapy session for all cancer crusaders. The details have been expressed to you by 3 cancer crusaders. They came direct from the horse's mouth.
Do all of you agree with what these three persons said about the cancer crusaders club?
If yes, then the second message is …………………..
Actually this second message is for Abet and myself.
After hearing what the 3 cancer crusaders said, to which all of you agree, with all the benefits that you are getting from this gathering,
Abet, the message to us, is that we should continue it up to the next millenium. Right?
OK. We heard the message loud and clear. We will continue to have such a gathering next year and in the years to come. Yes, we will continue to hold such a gathering but, my second message to you, is that you should continue to attend such a gathering every year.
Before I go to the third message, I like to announce that I have started putting up a website for our Cancer Crusaders Club. For those interested to look at the website and would like to help, just approach me for the address.
The last message is actually a sharing of the credo of Mother Teresa which I find very inspiring for everybody, for those without cancers, for those with cancers, as we enter into next millenium.
LIFE
Mother Theresa's Credo
Life is an opportunity, avail it.
Life is a beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is a wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, brace it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, depend it.